Apparatus for producing artificial gas



Dec. 14 1926. 1,610,685

A. N. KERR APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL GAS Filed June 4, 1924 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Dec. 14,1926. 1,610,685 A. N. KERR APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL (ms Filed June 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR w E w v j 4 km i w fdli ' Patented naqa 1926.

rATENT An'rnnn nwxnnn, or BELLEVUE, rnimsinvmrmnssmnon 'ro 'nocxensrnonuc'rs COMPANY, or connoronrs, rnmwsYLv mn, aconronnrron on DELAWARE,

'- nr'rnnn'rus non. rnonucmd ARTIFICIAL ens.

, This invention relates to. an apparatus for utilizing a" cut containing. the extremely light volatile constituents obtained from nat- 'ural gas gasoline in the manufacture of a commercially practical artificial gas possess i'ng substantially uniform heating-- qualities.

'. It is well known that natural gas gasoline, that is-gasoline recovered from natural gas by either the compression and cooling proc- 'ess or various absorption processes, contains large percent-ages of v combustible constituents of gas which are lighter than the gasoline constituents, being chiefly ethane, propane, and butane, each of,which is a gas -l5 under normal atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions. 1

It is'galsowell known that gasoline containing suchlighter constituents is rendered unsuitable for many. purposes, such for instance as motor fuel, that these lighter constituents' have frequently been partially removedso as to leave a gasoline better suited for use as a motor fuel, that some attempts have been made along the same-lines by distillation in an elfort to rid the gasoline of .;the generally considered objectionable and disadvantageous lighter volatile constituents referred to, and that heretofore a large jpor'tion of the cuts containing such lighter constituents have beenconsidered as of little value and commercially used to but a limited extent.

It is an object ofthis'invention to eliminate the large waste of valuable natural resources incident to previous practices, en: =eouraginggthe production of. more stable grades of natural gas gasoline suitable for motor fuels, and utilizing the generally considered .undesirabley cuts containing the lighter volatile constituents in the manufacture of artificial gas of substantially uniform calorific value or heating quality:

Ordinarily, inorder to'be used as a motor fuel without prejudicial efiects arising 'from stitnents', natural gas asoline must have an and when secured'by distillation, the specific gravity of distillation is preferably continued until the residue is .notmore than the present invention the cuts produced Application filed June 4,

the presence of the lighter combustible conabout degrees Baum. 'In the practice'of 1924. Serial No. 717,77ef

inthe nature of by-products containing the I vessel, 'wholly or partially in liquid form or what mightsbe termed semi-liquid form, is first subjected to aeration by passing streams of air or other desirable gaseous carrier theretbrough, which when intimately mixed'therewith in suitable proportions will prevent condensation of; the constituents, and the mixture thus produced then intel mingled with an additional supply of the, 1 gaseous carrier to form an artificial gas, while constantlygoverning the relative proportions of the mixture and carrier to'maintain the calorific or heating value of the gas produced substantially uniform. I i In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof and in whichlike reference numerals designate like parts Fig, 1 is a plan view diagrammatically i1 ustrating apparatus for practicing'theinvention; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of connecting apparatus; and Fig. 25 illustrates the remaining portion ofthe apparatus shown in .-Fig. 2. i

In .the drawings, 1 designates a continjuously running gas engine which is operativel'y connected by means'of the belt 2 to a compressor 3. The inlet to the compressor 3 is indicated at l-while'its discharge line is I no suitably confined under pressure in a closedad I sure in line 5 by means of the branch pipe 8.

.The pipe 6' communicates "with a conduit 9 forming the discharge line of a compressor 10 driven through means of the belt 11 from an electric motor 12. -The operation of the motor 12 is controlled-by means of a pressure actuated switch 13 responsive {to the pressure conditions in the discharge conduit 9 through the pipe 14. 'The conduit 9 communicates with the upper end of a servicestorage tank 15 which isiadapted' to receive its supply from either or both of the air-compressors-3and 10. fLeadingfrom the opposite end of the pressure tank 151to which conduit 9 is connected is a pipe 16 'having interposed there in the check'valve' 17 for preventing back flow towards the tank. At a point beyond the check valve 17 pipe 16 forms twobranches 18 and 19. The branch 18 has interposed therein the pressure reducing valve 20, and communicates with a depending pipe 21 projecting downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of an aerating or carburetting tank 22 where it communicates with a serles of perforated pipes 23 for discharging the gaseous carrier such'as air delivered from the'service tank, into the body 24 of which drives an-air compressor 29 through the belt 30, and is governed by means of a pressure. actuated switch 31 communicating with the'discharge pipe 32 of, the compres- ,sor through thepipe 33, in this manner rendering the operation of the motor 28 responsive to the pressure existing in' the dis charge line 32. The air discharge line 32 delivers to an emergency air storagetank 7 valve 37.

34 at one end thereo while the stored fluid is conducted from the tank at its opposite end through the pipe 35 communicating with the pipe 19 at the connection 36, and having interposed therein the pressure reducing A branch pipe 38, in which is; interposed the pressure reducing valve 39, leads, from the pipe 35'and is connected with the depending pipe 21 at'the connection 40, and, if desired, may also be connected with the pipes 23'by means of a depending branch 41.

The mixture produced by thepassage of the air carrier-through the body 24 collects at the top of tank 22,! and is conducted by the pipe 42 to the mixer 26. Preferably the pipe 42 dischargesinto a perforated nozzle 43 located within the body of the mixer whereby to intimately intermingle with the air deliveredthrough pipe '19.

Interposed in pipe 42. between the tank 22 and the mixer 26, is a thermostatically controlled valvef'44, the thermostat for con-' trolling the same being generally shown at 45. This'thermostat may consist, as illus trated, of an outer expansible and contractible cylindrical shell 46 in which is centrally located a rod 47, which through the levers 48 and 49 is adapted to move the head of the valve 44' away from its seat upon shortenin of theshell, the valve head being urged'to its closed position by means of a spring shown at 50. The thermostat is re- The compressor is adapted to deliver .-any suitable gaseousfluid carrier, preferably air, which will prevent-condensation of the lighter volatile constituents of the cut used, into the pressure tank 15, the unloa-der or regulator valve being set to deliver the air to the service tankat a pressure of substantially fifteen pounds per square inch.

The compressor 10 is likewise adapted to deliveua gaseous carrier such as air to the service tank, but the pressure actuated switch 13 is set so that the motor 12 is maintained-inactive as long as the desired predetermined pressure is maintained in the service tank by means of thecompressor 3,

' but to start the motor in operation Whenever the pressure in the service tank falls slightly below this point.- For instance, when the valve-7 is set to deliverat fifteen pounds per square inch, the switch 13 is set to start the motor 12 when the pressureper square inch in the service storage tank falls to say approximately twelve pounds per square inch.

m The air compressor 29 delivers to the emergency storage'tank 34 and has the controlling valve '31 for its motor v28 set to "maintain a pressure in the tank 34 of approximately square inch.

The pressure reducing valve 20 is adjusted to'maint'ain a'pressure of approximately nine sixty to sixty-five pounds per pounds per square inch at the delivery side thereof, while the pressure reducing valve 39.is set to permit, flow therethrough from the emergency tank 34 Whenever the compressed air at the delivery side' of the valve 20;and within'the carburetting tank falls below the pressure at which it is normally maintained,- For instance, should thesupply of air from the service' -tank 15 fail-for any reason so that the pres sure at the delivery side'of the valve 20 and within the .carburettingtank falls to approximately eight pounds per square inch,

then the valve 39 will be actuated so as to permitflow of air from the emergency storage tank 34 through. the pipe38 and the branch pipes 41 and 21 into the pipes 23 located at the bottom of the carburetting tank, thus furnishing the necessary supply of the air during such periods from the emergency stoifige tank, and precluding interruption of the operation of the plant because of lack of supply in the service air tank 15.

The pressure reducing valve 25- is adjusted to normally permit flow of the air through the pipes 16 and 19 from the service tank 15 to the mixer 26, and to maintain a'pres-- sure of approximately twelve pounds per square inch at the discharge side tl'iereof. The pressure reducing valve 37 is adjusted to remain normally closed while a pressure of twelve pounds per square inch is maintained in the pipe 19 from the service'tank 15 in the manner described, but to open and permit flow'from the emergency storage tankgvalve' head, forces the valve from its seat 34 into the pipe 19 whenever the pressure therein drops to approximately eleven pounds per square inch. In this way whenever failure of suflicient air fromLthe service tank 15- occurs, the pressure reducing valve 37 is-brought into play to insure a supply of the air from the emergency storage tank to the mixer by way of the pipes and 19.

The carburetting tank 22 is filled with as cut obtained from natural gas gasoline, as previously described, from 1 time to time. The flow of the air either from the service tank 15 or from the emergency storage tank 34 causes the same to be discharged from the perforated pipes'23 and intimately interminform an extremely rich mixture which is delivered through the pipe 42 and nozzle 43 into the 'mixen 26 where it isin turn inti-f mately intermingled with the-additional quantity of air fed to the mixer through the pipe 19. The intermingling of the rich mixture previously formed with the air in the mixer 26 produces an artificial gas of desirable heating qualities which is carried to the points ofuse through the delivery main 27.9 4

The flow of the rich mixture from the carburetting'tank22 through the pipe 42 to the mixer is controlled by'means of the 'valve 44 in response to the calorific value of the gas delivered to the main 27 by means of the valve 44. The valve 44is thermostat- I ically' controlled so as to open and permit an 44. The burner 51' is supplied with gas taken from the main 27, the flames of which increased flow of the mixture to the mixer 26 whenever the calorific value of the gas ultimately produced falls below the predetermined point forwhich the apparatus is adjusted, and similarly is closed to reduce the flowthrough the pipe 42 when there is an'increase in the calorific .value oi the gas in the main27; This control is accomplished by means ,of theiburner 5'1 and the am: mostaticfelements associated with the valve play against the tubular member 46. Whenthe burner is correspondingly increased ever the calorific'valueof the gas inthe delivery main increases, :the heating efl'ect of causing a lengthening of the element'i46, perhitting the spring 50 toforce the valvehead towardits seat to. diminish theflow through the pipe 42. Similarly, whenever a decrease in the calorific value of the gas in the main 47 occurs the intensity of the burner. flames is correspondingly decreased, resulting in a shortening of the element 46. The core or rod 47, due to the fact that it abuts the closed end of the tubular element 46, is consequently forced towards the valve body,

and through the levers 48 and 49, the latter of which contacts the stem attached to the is preferably air, is normally supplied to the service tank 15 by means of the compressor'3, and is maintained at a pressure of approximately fifteen pounds per square inch therein,- 'the compressor 29 being broughtinto operation to maintain the desired supply of air in the tank 15 only upon the failure of'the compressor 3. The compressor 29 is actuated through its pressure controlled switch 31, at intervals whenever" pressure in the tank 34 falls below about 65 pounds'per square inch soas to main tain a reserve supply of the air in the emergency storage tank 34', the frequency of operation of this compressor depending entirely upon the amount of air which must be .withdra-wn therefrom to operation of the system, i 1 Normally, the air flows from the service maintain the tank 15 both to the carburett'mg tank 22,

and to the mixer 26 tlirougila pipe .19.- z

Should, for any reason, the supply of the carrier in the service tank 15 fail, or fall below a pressure 0 between eight and nine pounds twelve pounds persquare-inchlnthe 19 beyond thevalv'e 25;, a flow. of the carrier from the emergency storage tank 34 ressure suflioient to maintain aper square inch'within-the carburetting tank, and a pressure'of approximately elevento pipe through the valve 39 to-the .carburetting tank and through the valve 37 to the pipe- ;19, will; be permitted, thus drawing upon 4 the reserve supply of the air in the tank 34 to maintain the operation of the system.

' The passage of the air through :the. earburetting tank 22 in the mannerpreviously,

set forth, produces arich gas in obvious livered through the main 27- to-the point of fashion, whichgas is subsequently intimateuse, thecontrol of the flow of therich gas\ from the ca'rburetting tank to. the mixer being controlled in response to the calorific.

- value of the gas ultimately produced so as to properly proportion the rich gas and the a properly. adjusting the valve 53, the system may be regulated to deliver gas of any desired calorificvalue within the ranges for which the system is designed.

Iclaim: Y 1. An apparatus or producing carburetted air gas of substantially uniform calorific value comprising in combination a service air storage tank, a carburetting tank forproducing carburetted gas, a gas mixer, conduits leading from the said servicetank to the carburetting tank and mixer, respectively, a conduitconnecting' the carburetting tank and mixer, a valve interposed inthe pipe'from the carburetting tank to the mixer, and meansor controlling the actuation of said valvein response to the calorific'value .of the gas produced in the mixer.

2. An apparatus for producing carburetted air gas of substantially uniform calorific value comprising in combination a service air storage tank, an emergency storage tank for air, a carburetting. tank for producing a ting tank and mixer, respectively, necting the carburetting tank and carburetted gas, a gas mixer, conduits.leading "from the said airtank to. the carburetapipe conm1xer, a pressure reducing valve interposed, in the conduit leading fromthe service air tank to the carburettingtank for delivering the air to the carburetting tank 'at .a 'predetermined pressure, a conduit connecting the emergency stora e tanki.w,ith the car: buretting tank, i. an a pressure reducing valve interposed in the. last named conduitv adjusted'todeliver the air from the emergency tank to the carburetting tank at.

a lower pressure. i p 3. An apparatus for" roducing carbur etted air gas. of substantia 1y uniform calorific pressure than said predetermined value comprising in com bmation a service air storage tank, a carburetting'tflnk for producing carbu'retted gas, a gas mixer, con- .dnits leading from the said service tank'to the carburetting tank and mixer, a pipe connecting the carburetting tank and m1xer,,a valve interposed in the pipe from the carburetting tank to the mixer for governing the flow therethrough, a thermostat operatively connected to the said valve, and a burner for heating the thermostat, said burner being connected to receive gas from the mixer, whereby to actuate the thermostatic valve in accordance with the calorific value of the said gas.

4. An apparatus for producing carburetted' ai-r gas of substantially uniform calorific Value comprising in combination a service compressed air tank for a gaseous fluid car- I 'I'ier, a carburetting tank for producing carfrom the emergency tank and maintain a pressure in the branch conduit lower than the said predetermined pressure whenever .the supply of air from the'service tank fails,

and a pipe connecting the carburettingtank to the mixer.

5. An apparatus for'producing carburetted air gas of substantially uniform calorific value comprising in combination a service compressed air tank for a gaseous fluid carrier, a-carburetting tank for producing carburetted gas, an emergency tank for air, a conduit connecting the service and carburet- -ting ltanks,- a gas mixer, a branch conduit leading-from the first named conduit to the mixer, a pressure reducing valve interposed insaid branch conduitfor delivering the air' to themixer at a predetermined pressure, a pipe leading from'the emergency tank and communicating with the said branch conduit intermediate. thesaid reducing valve and '1 mi'xer,a pressure reducing valve in said pipe set to. initiate flow from the emergency tank and maintain a pressure in'the pipe lower. than'the-said predetermined pressure whenever the supply of-the airv from theservice tank fails, a pipeconnectin the carburett-ing tank to the mixer, a t ermostatically ments of the said valve whereby to actuate. I

the valve in accordance with value of the said gas.

- 6 .An apparatus for ted airgas of substantia the calorific y uniform calorific producing carburetvalue comprising in combination a; service air tank, a carburetting tank for producing carburettedgas, a conduit for conducting air from the service tank and delivering it adjacent the bottom of the carburetting tank,

a pressure reducing valve in the said conduit set to deliver the air at a predetermined pressure, an emergency storage tank forair,

a conduit for delivering the air from the emergency tank to the carburetting tank, a pressure reducing valve in the second named conduit adjusted to deliver to the carburetting tank at a lower pressure than said predetermined pressure, a gas'mixer, a pipe leading from the upper portion of the car: .buretting tank to the mixer, branch conduits leading from the said two conduits, respectively, for delivering air to the mixer, pressure reducing valve in each of said branch conduits, the pressure reduclng valve 1n the branch conduit communicating with the emergency tank being adjusted to deliver at a lower pressure than is delivered by the reducing valve in the branch conduit communicating with the service tank, a valve i1 the pipe connecting the carburetting tank and mixer, and means responsive to the calorific value of the gas produced in the mixer foractuating the last named valve.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

ARTHUR N. KERR 

